As part of its ongoing efforts to promote environmental sustainability and enhance the natural landscape in local areas, through the LAND project, the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) carried out a large-scale tree-planting campaign across 19 village councils and municipalities, with funding totaling Euro 25,000. This activity is one of the practical interventions arising from the Regional Environmental Plan, which is set to rehabilitate public spaces and enhance green cover at the local level.
The activity involved planting approximately 1,400 saplings and trees in selected sites, including some 7,400 linear meters along public roads and around 12 dunums of open spaces. Around 400 local community volunteers took part in the campaign, reflecting a strong spirit of collective action and environmental stewardship.
Participation extended beyond individuals to include 17 civil society organizations, such as the Civil Defense, Palestine Red Crescent Society, village sports clubs, and a number of community institutions, including the Rowad Society for Social Development, agricultural cooperatives, schools, and youth clubs. This diversity of participating entities reflects the importance of collaborative action and institutional synergy between official and civil actors in serving environmental and community issues.
The activity was implemented in the following communities: ‘Awarta Village Council, Burin Village Council, Kharbatha al-Misbah Village Council, Osarin Village Council, Qibya Village Council, Al-Midya Village Council, Beit ‘Ur al-Foqa Village Council, Budrus Village Council, Deir Qaddis Village Council, Kharbatha Bani Harith Village Council, Yatma Village Council, Saffa Village Council, Odala Village Council, Shabtin Village Council, Shuqba Village Council, Ni’lin Municipality, Beit Liqya Municipality, Huwwara Municipality, and Beita Municipality. These areas combine a mix of village councils and municipalities, highlighting the broad geographic intervention and wide impact of the campaign across governorates.
The activity is part of the Local Authorities Network for Sustainable Development (LAND) project. This is an initiative led by APLA and funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), Union of Municipalities of Umbria, Union of Municipalities of Trasimeno, and FELCOS Umbria. The project targets 21 local government units (LGUs) to support their efforts toward inclusive and sustainable development, prioritize environmental protection, and enhance community well-being.
This initiative reflects APLA’s vision for activating the role of LGUs as key drivers in addressing environmental challenges and stresses the importance of community engagement in designing and implementing solutions. It further contributes to building more environmentally aware communities, better prepared to face climate change and safeguard natural resources for future generations.
